Pencil-sharpening machine



Sept. 7, 1954 G. DAHLE 2,688,312

PENCIL-SHARPENING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I I

Sept. 7, 1954 G, DAHLE PENCIL-SHARPENING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJan. 21, 1953 FIG. 7

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Patented Sept. 7, 1954 2,688,312 PENCIL-SHARPENING MACHINE Gerald Dahle,Coburg,

Wilhelm Dahle,

Germany, assignor to oburg, Germany Application January 21, 1953, SerialNo. 332,380

at which the crank handle acts upon said cutting assembly.

The advantage of an arrangement of this sort is that it allows acomparatively large choice of space beneath the cutting assembly. Thereis the disadvantage, however, that the cutting assembly rocks in thedirection of its axis when actuated by the handle. This resulted in thesupport being highly stressed particularly at the point where it isconnected with the cutting assembly so that it is necessary to make boththe support and the place at which it is connected very strong. But evenif these latter conditions are complied with the continual stressingbetween the cutting unit and its support soon causes this part of themachine to fail. The vibrations in this type of machine have also anadverse effect on the sharpening and the pencil point is frequentlybroken off.

The object of the invention is to produce a support for the cuttingassembly which will be very economical as regards construction, thedesign of the said support being such that there will be plenty of roomfor collecting the cuttings. This is achieved according to the presentinvention through the cutting unit being supported at one side in adirection parallel to its axis of rotation. This method, in spite of theone-sided suspension of the cutting unit, gives a uniform distributionof the moments which occur on actuating the crank handle, causing themto be taken up in the longitudinal direction of the axis of rotation ofthe cutting unit.

The support according to the invention can be made in a number ofdilferent forms. It can, for example, according to one feature of theinvention, be constructed in the form of a plate, the surface of thisplate bounding the free space under the cutting unit in the direction ofthe axis of the'cutting unit on one side. It may, however, consist oftwo strut members or the like located on the same side of the cuttingunit and engaging at both ends of this unit. When the supporting meansare in one place they preferably engage, according to a further featureof the invention,

Claims. (Cl. 120-96) the horizontally extending diameter of thecylindrical casing of the cutting unit in tangential manner. They may,however, extend outwardly in a curved manner.

According to a further feature of the invention, at least the supportingmeans and the base plate of the machine, preferably also however theeasing of the cutting assembly, should consist of one piece.

In order that the particularly favourable shape of the space may beused, the receptacle or container for the cuttings extends at least atthe free side beyond the diameter of the cutting unit and curves roundto the casing of the unit.

It might also if desired extend through the recess provided in thesupport to the other side.

In another form according to the present invention the support extendingalong a plane forms an acute angle to the base and it is advantageous insuch a case to make the external surfaces of the cutting containerextend symmetrically thereto.

The accompanying drawings illustrate schematically a number ofconstructional examples of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a perspective View of a pencilsharpening machineaccording to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line II--II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure l with the pencilremoved.

Figure 4 is a diagram of the support arrange ment manufactured in onepiece with the base plate and the holder for the cutting or millingunit.

Figure 5 shows an outwardly curved support for the cutting unit.

Figure 6 shows a support which extends at an acute angle to the bottomsurface.

Figure 7 shows a support which consists of two struts.

The pencil-sharpening machine consists of a cylindrical casing l whichtakes the milling or cutting unit 2, this latter being set in movementby means of the hand crank element 3. At the front end of the cuttingunit is disposed the gripping chuck 3 for the pencil which is to besharpened. This chuck 4 is guided so that it is capable of displacementby means of a carrier 5 fixed to it at the side inside a holderarrangement 6 fixed to the casing l. The holder 6 is provided with aslot 1 in which is guided a pin on the carrier member 5, this pin notbeing shown on the drawing; a spring I! engages on this pin and is fixedat its other end to the casing of the cutting unit in such a manner thatit pulls the chuck 4 towards the cutting unit 2.

Connected with the casing i is the support part 8 engaging it in adirection parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutting unit and beingbent at the bottom to form a base plate 9.

In the form of construction which is illustrated in Figure '7, thissupport is provided with a recess so that the actual support is formedby two struts l8 engaging at the same side with the casing of the cutterunit.

The base plate 9 is preferably let into a bottom support it and thenfixed to it by means of screws, as illustrated in the cross-section ofFigure 2. In the examples of Figures 1 to 4 the support ii forms a planewhich together with the cutter unit encloses and bounds the spacebeneath it at one side. In this space the container H is arranged, oneof whose walls, the wall I2, runs parallel with the support 8 while theother wall i3 extends beyond the periphery of the cutter unit 2 or itscasing l and curves over to the casing I at id. An aperture I5 in theform of a longitudinal slot is provided in the bottom of the casing ifor the shavings to pass into the container below. The large amount ofspace for accommodating cuttings can be seen from Figure 2. This spacecan be increased still more if the container i i is made to projectbeyond the diameter of the cutter unit at its side which abuts againstthe support 8, as illustrated in Figure 5. It will be of coursenecessary, in order to be able to withdraw the container for theshavings laterally, for the top edge of the container part to be in aline lower than the bottom of the casing for the cutter unit.

As shown schematically in Figure 4 the casing surface 9, support 8 andthe base plate 9 are manufactured in'one piece. In this form ofmanufacture, the parts 8 and 9 are first made by pressing and then partI is formed by a bending operation.

According to a preferred construction, the base plate parts it are alsobent at the same time or subsequent-1y formed by pressing.

Instead of making the support member for the casing in the form a fiatsurface, it could also be in the form of a curved surface, as shown inFigure 5, that is, looking in the direction of the axis of rotation ofthe cutter unit, this support engaging the casing for the cutter unit.In this case as well, it may be manufactured in a single piece togetherwith the base plate and the casing for the cutter unit.

The support 8 can also, as shown in Figure 6, extend downwardly inoblique direction so as to make an acute angle with the bottom surface.This is possible whether the support is formed as a fiat surface orwhether it forms a curved surface. A construction of this kind enablesthe support member and the external surface of the container for thecuttings to be made symmetrically while at the same time increasing thespace for receiving the cuttings. A support of this kind can also bemanufactured in one piece together with the base plate and the casingfor the cutter unit.

I claim:

1. A pencil sharpening machine comprising the combination of a rotarycutter unit and means for supporting said unit in elevated position andextending in a plane substantially parallel to the rotary axis of saidcutter unit and at one side thereof, and a container below said cutterunit for receiving the pencil shavings, said container being at leastpartly enclosed and supported by said means.

2. A pencil sharpening machine as defined in claim 1 wherein thecontainer is partly enclosed and supported by the supporting means so asto be removable toward the side opposite to said means.

3. A pencil sharpening machine as defined in claim 1 wherein saidsupporting means comprise a substantially horizontal base, a supportingmember extending upwardly from said base and at one side of the rotarycutter unit, and an element extending from said member and substantiallyenclosing said cutter unit and forming a casing therefor.

4. A pencil sharpening machine as defined in claim 3, wherein saidsupporting member has an aperture therein for facilitating the removalof the container in the opposite direction therefrom.

5. A pencil sharpening machine as defined in claim 3, wherein the casingfor supporting the cutter unit is of substantially cylindrical crosssection.

6. A pencil sharpening machine as defined in claim 3, wherein the base,the supporting memher and the casing for the cutter unit constitute asingle integral element.

'7. A pencil sharpening machine as defined in claim 3, wherein the base,the supporting mem her and the casing are formed by a single plateextending substantially parallel to the rotary axis of the cutter unit,said supporting member extending tangentially to said casing.

8. A pencil sharpening machine as defined in claim 1, wherein thecontainer for receiving the pencil shavings and the supporting meanshave interengaging portions for normally retaining said container in afixed position relative to said cutter unit.

9. A pencil sharpening machine comprising the combination of a rotarycutter unit, a single member for supporting said unit in an elevatedposition and comprising a plate extending parallel to the rotary axis ofthe cutter unit and being bent so as to form a substantially horizontalsupporting base, a portion extending upwardly from said base and at oneside thereof, and a curved portion substantially enveloping said cutterunit and supporting the same at one side of said upwardly extendingportion and having an aperture at its lower side so as to allow theshavings to fall therethrough.

10. A pencil sharpening machine as defined in claim 9, wherein acontainer is provided for collecting the shavings, said supportingmember at least partly enclosing and supporting said container belowsaid cutter unit, and interengaging portions on said container and saidsupporting member for normally retaining the container in a fixedposition relative to said cutter unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,635,974 Meserole July 12, 1927 2,512,846 Adams June 2'7,1950

